


Please Take Pity On Albus Severus

by Hollow_Whisperings



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Awesome Cousins, Awkward Conversations, Gen, Harry Potter Next Generation, Hogwarts First Year, Indian!Harry, Rose Granger-Weasley: Terror of the Weasley Clan, Social Anxiety, Terrifying Cousins, Unholy Combination, black!Hermione
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-06
Packaged: 2018-06-06 16:58:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6762421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hollow_Whisperings/pseuds/Hollow_Whisperings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Albus Potter has it rough: he's the middle child who can never really stand out; he's completely under the thumb of his devious cousin; AND his name seems to have been specifically designed to be his own personal form of hell.</p><p>Luckily, his social anxiety keeps him occupied enough to ignore all of these and focus on avoiding having to speak in public.</p><p>Unfortunately for Al, he hasn't even gotten to Hogwarts yet when his aforementioned cousin of deviousness gets another Fantastic Idea into her head and decides to drag him into it.</p><p>Is it too late to just be homeschooled?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Please Take Pity On Albus Severus

"C'mon, Al! Let's find us a Malfoy!"

"W-what? Why?! _Rose-!_ "

Rose dragged Al, her helpless henchman, behind her (caring not a whit for his increasingly reddening face) as she shoved her way through the train corridor and all with a mad grin on her face.

" _Aha!_ Found you!"

Al bumped into Rose's back, hurriedly catching his glasses before they fell, as she abruptly stalled. He stood on tiptoe, once again bemoaning Rose's early growth spurt, to catch a glimpse past her shoulder: a largely empty compartment with but a single well-cared for suitcase covered in stacks of books and one very startled bookworm.

 

"I'm sorry?"

" _You!_ You're Scorpius Malfoy, right?"

"Y-yes?"

The combination of white-blond eyebrows and big circle glasses gave "Scorpius" a rather owl-like appearance. Al found himself liking the boy despite himself. He'd always rather liked owls. Then again, Al liked anyone who kept Rose's attention off himself.

Rose plonked herself on the seat opposing the blond and put an arm out in front of her. "Scorpius" carefully set his book aside.

"I'm Rose Granger-Weasley. My dad told me to beat you in everything."

"I'm, er, Scorpius but... you know that already? Er..?"

Scorpius looked at Rose's hand as if it were a live squid. Al cautiously went to sit beside his cousin, nervously nudging his glasses up his nose, and whispered to the blond,

"It's a muggle thing. You're meant to shake it."

Eyes narrowed suspiciously, Scorpius reluctantly moved to grasp Rose's hand. He slowly moved their hands to the left only to be interrupted by Rose cackling and shaking their hands up and down "properly".

" _Ha!_ You're a funny one, Malfoy! Oi, Al! Don't be a stranger! Introduce yourself!"

Al jumped in his seat. He fidgeted with his glasses again before muttering his name, desperately trying to hide his growing nerves. He really wished Rose didn't drag him into her antics. Why did she have to be so utterly shameless?

Scorpius squinted at Al before murmuring his own name in response. The three sat staring at each other (or in Al's case, anywhere  _but_ at each other) before Scorpius said,

"Er, this is... _nice_ and all but... why are you talking to me?"

Normally Rose would have gone immediately on the defensive but something about Scorpius' genuine confusion must have left her amicable. Rose laughed, her natural hair bobbing good-naturedly with her.

"I _told_ you! My dad told me to beat you in everything!"

"Er, if your father's so against me... won't he be rather mad that you're sitting with me on the train?"

"Pssh! If he gets mad about it I'll just tell him I'm keeping an eye on you. 'Friends close, enemies closer', _you know_?"

Scorpius blinked at Rose, seemingly sincere, before shifting his skeptical blue eyes to Al. Al shrugged helplessly. _He'd_ never really understood Rose either.

 

"Well! This _has_ been fun! I'll be back in a jiff- just got to check on the rest of the gang. _Merlin_ but there's a lot of us! You two play nice now, alright?"

Rose narrowed her eyes at Al. He nodded furiously.

And so, with as much bluster as she had entered it, Rose Granger-Weasley swept out of the compartment, reddish-brown curls bouncing behind her.

She _graciously_ left her luggage behind for Al to deal with. He sighed, unsurprised.

 

Meanwhile, Scorpius was continuing his impression of a startled bird, brow furrowed, eyes blinking, mouth gaping slightly. Al took pity and decided to attempt some explanation. It seemed to be most of what he did as Rose's unwitting second.

"Rose is, um, always like that. My dad... he likes to say she's like some 'unholy combination' of _her_ mum and _mine_. Sent to terrify the pox out of the Wizarding World, apparently."

Al pulled at his plait, desperate to avoid eye contact, hoping madly that Scorpius would be satisfied with his rambling. Alas.

"Your dad... Harry Potter."

"Um, yes."

"Your dad, _Harry Potter_ , famed hero of the Wizarding World and former arch-nemesis of _my_  father, the school-yard bully?"

"Um, yes. Sorry."

"Why are you sorry?! Shouldn't _I be sorry_ -?"

" _No!_ Um! I mean, my dad... he's always saying that _we_ , my cousins and me, shouldn't try and relive his, um, his..."

" _Heroism?_ "

" ** _No!_** Um! I mean, kind of?"

Scorpius snorted. It was the most natural thing Al had seen him do since meeting him. It made Scorpius' nose go all wrinkly.

"My father barely talks about his school years. He goes all quiet and then he gives a speech about ' _not giving into what other people expect from you_ ' and ' _respecting your own sense of morality'_."

Scorpius seemed to be somewhat bitter about all this.

"That sounds... _kind_ _of_ similar to what my dad says? _I mean! Um,_  not really but... kind of?"

Scorpius raised an eyebrow and Al whimpered miserably. Oh, _Merlin_ , how long was Rose going to  _take?_

 

Scorpius coughed and attempting to change the subject.

"Er, I think your dad sends mine a Christmas card every year."

 _How was that a change in subject?_ Al thought.

"R-really?" Al managed. Why did Rose have to leave him alone with people? _Now he was expected to talk!_

"Yeah... It always makes my dad act... _weirdly?_ " Scorpius paused but continued upon Al's complete lack of verbal response, "I, er, think he _tries_ to hide them but Grandmother gets hold of them and... puts them on display. Er."

Silence. Painful, pained, pain-inducing silence. Al fidgeted in his seat, sorely tempted to hide behind his luggage. _Rose owed him_. Scorpius, seemingly out of fatherly anecdotes, shifted in his seat. Al, terrified of boring the other boy, blurted the first thing to come to his head.

"Um. _What are you reading?_ " 

Al was glad the blond hadn't winced at Al raising his voice. Al never  _could_ rely on getting his speaking volume right.

"Hogwarts: A History!"

 _Now_ Scorpius winced, probably at his own eagerness, before continuing in a more mumbled fashion.

"Father told me a lot about the Wars last year but I wanted to see if he was really... er. I wanted to read what had happened for myself?"

Al happily ignored Scorpius' unconscious slip. Honestly, Al could relate. He wouldn't _say that_ of course: if there was something that terrified Al more than having to talk to a stranger it was trying to _bond_ with someone through familial insecurities. Al attempted to make a vague reply.

"Y-yeah. Dad sort of left all... _that_ to Mum. Uncle Ron got there first though... His version of it is quite... _um,_ dramatic. Aunt Hermione ended up telling us all afterward that it really involved a lot more standing around reciting spells and a bit less dragon slaying. And, um, less Uncle Ron saving the day singlehandedly."

Scorpius smiled despite himself. He looked somewhat surprised to have done so and began blinking again. Al wondered if he should offer some eye drops.

Thankfully, Rose decided to make her dramatic return before another torturous silence could ensue.

 

" _Merlin's beard_ , did you two talk _at all_ while I was gone? Really, Al! Ugh, never mind that - I found one of the _cool_ Weasleys!"

Rose stood to the side waving "jazz arms". Aunt Hermione had sent Rose along to muggle dance classes to help "build confidence". Al continued to blame muggle dance for inflicting him with Rose in all her grandeur. Rose hissed something to someone behind her before mouthing ' _ta-da_ ' just as a vaguely ginger Chinese girl stepped into view.

"Hello, Alby."

" _Molly!_ " Al leapt up and was immediately swallowed in a hug.

"Shouldn't you be with the prefects? Oh, wow! You're already in-uniform and everything!" Molly giggled as Al jimmied up and around their hug to take in her shiny new badge.

"I decided to excuse myself for a bit to see you, Alby. Not fair to leave you all alone with Miss "I Have A Fantastic Idea" over here-"

"Heard that, did you?" Al muttered under Rose's offended gasp. Molly made a quick grin at Al before taking notice of the other occupant of the room.

"Oh! I see you've made a friend! Introduce me?"

"Um, this is..."

" _Scorpius Malfoy_." The words came somewhere around the blond's shoulders as he had apparently tucked his head into his chest amongst all the hugging. Molly then proved _exactly_ why she was Al's favourite cousin (take _that_ , Rose!) by being a wonderful angel of mercy.

"Scorpius, huh? After the constellation?" Scorpius nodded, tense. Molly gave him an encouraging smile

"Astronomy has always been my favourite subject. I'm sure you'll enjoy it too. The professor is very nice."

Al noted that Scorpius' ears had out-rosed Rose. Al quickly kicked Rose (who had decided to sulk in a corner at Molly deciding to talk to Scorpius instead of her) in the shin before she could comment on it.

Scorpius, unknowingly rescued from Rose's teasing, braved further conversation with the kind older girl, voice _only_ squeaking _slightly_.

" _Er. Congratulations on being a prefect?"_

"Oh! Thank you!" Molly's eyes wrinkled as she laughed and Al could almost see the steam coming from Scorpius' ears. "My parents are very proud! I hope you keep this friend, Alby! Scorpius and his manners should be an excellent influence on Rosie!"

Rose snorted but let the comment stand, likely only employing tact to save face in front of Molly. No one liked looking bad in front of  _Molly._

"Well, I've best go off and make sure no one other than Rose is causing mischief- don't worry, Rosie, I'm only _mostly_ kidding! Be sure to find me at dinner, alright? I'll give you a wave! Oh, you too, Scorpius!"

"Bye, Molly," the three first-years chorused, Scorpius looking rather dazed.

 

Rose humphed back to her seat and flicked Al on the forehead. _Darn_ , Al had hoped she's let his kick slide.

"Trust me to rely on _you_ , Al! You haven't even put our luggage on the racks! Hmph!"

Al lamented how easily his embarrassment showed on his face. He was _just_ as brown as his brother and sister yet somehow only _he_ had inherited the Weasley tendency to go tomato. He did his best to hide his cheeks with the bangs that had once again escaped his braid.

Rose busied herself with setting the compartment to rights. Every time Al went to half-heartedly assist she tutted him away. Al gave up, feeling rather useless.

 

 

"Er..."

Ah, Al thought, the 'Molly Effect' ended.

"Yes, Malfoy?"

"You _really_ don't need to call me that... er, Rose."

"Sorry, Scorp! Got a bit used to Dad going all 'last-name basis' when talking about you and yours."

" _Right_..." Beneath his breath, Scorpius muttered something along the lines of, "Scorp? _Really_?"

"Well, _come on_ , Scorp! Out with it!" Rose stomped in emphasis.

"Doesn't your family _mind_?!"

"Mind? Mind what? I thought we went over the Malfoy thing already. All I have to do-"

" _No!_ Not that, er. Doesn't your family mind that..."

Al finally got at what Scorpius was skirting around.

"That Molly's in Slytherin?"

"Yes!" Scorpius said, relieved not to have to ask the question himself, still somewhat pink in the ears.

Rose stepped back from the luggage rack, humming. _That_ always meant she was taking something seriously.

"Well, there _was_ a lot of fuss at first. Not from _Cousin Molly_ 's parents but from Dad and Uncle George. Aunt Ginny was a bit iffy too. A few others- I only know this _second-hand_ of course, bit before my time, you understand.

"Uncle Percy - Molly's dad - well, he was always a bit of a black sheep for the family. Some tiff during the War, I think. _Anyway_ , Uncle Percy was all _about_ being supportive of Molly. Her mum too - was a Ravenclaw - so _that's_ obvious enough. Mum took Molly's side too - she's always got a soft spot for underdogs - and it was a bit of a row for a while until Uncle Harry had his say.

"He mentioned you, actually, Al! _You_ know your dad - always keeping to himself until he's suddenly all serious. He went and brought up your middle name - _Al's_ is Severus, like Severus Snape, one of the headmasters during the War? _Unfortunate_ , I know - and how Uncle Harry thought that if the Potters and Weasleys and all the _other_ Gryffindor families had been less judge-y about the whole Slytherin thing, maybe Snape and some of the other Slytherins wouldn't have turned out so... difficult? I think? Then something about house rivalries fuelling sides in the War... I'm pretty sure _at least_ half of what he said was stuff he'd sponged off Mum..."

Al had stiffened at the mention of his infamous middle name until he'd realised that his dad had _meant_ what he'd said about not telling anyone else about his Sorting. What with Al's brother being the apparent reincarnation of _Granddad_ James and his little sister being, well, _a little sister_ , Al had never felt all that... _special_ at home. Knowing that he and his dad had a secret, just between them? Well, it had done more for his confidence than he'd realised. He _was_ a bit surprised to hear that Uncle Percy had been so supportive though. Just another example of Uncle Ron being an unreliable source of information, Al supposed.

" _Anyway_ , Uncle Harry's little bit settled it and then Grandma Molly - that's who Molly's named after - put her foot down and said that 'A Weasley's a Weasley no matter what colours they're wearing'! So it ended up that it was all sort of sorted - heh, _sorted_ \- before the family had even owled Molly _back!_ "

"Wow."

"Yeah! Exciting, right?"

"I guess? I just... I hope _my_ family will be as accepting. If I don't get sorted into Slytherin, I mean."

"Oh! Is your dad hassling you about it? I know _my_ dad was still trying to do the whole ' _Join us on the Gryffindor side!_ '-thing."

Al winced at Rose's _awful_ impersonation of her father. For some reason she always made Uncle Ron sound a lot shriekier and menacing than he was.

Scorpius surprised them by shaking his head.

"Actually, I think Father would be fine with it. It's just my grandparents I worry about. I just don't want to disappoint them."

They all went solemn then. Grandparents were _serious_. Al wasn't sure _how_ he would cope if he ended up being the only Weasley without a sweater on Christmas. Being without a jumper from Grandma was almost _worse_ than being _disowned_! Rose nodded to herself, likely thinking the same thing Al was thinking, before jumping to her feet.

"Well! _That_ was depressing! Why don't we play a game to cheer ourselves up?"

Al nodded eagerly: _anything_ to avoid having to do more talking. Scorpius made a weak smile before saying,

"As long as it's not Exploding Snap. I'd like to keep my eyebrows _intact_ on my first day of school, thanks."

That got a smile out of everyone and Al relaxed. Perhaps he wouldn't have to suffer Rose's tyranny _alone_ this year. In fact, having Scorpius around would mean Al would have another human to hide behind when James (inevitably) tried to challenge Rose for leadership of the younger Weasleys!

Perhaps Hogwarts wouldn't be too awful after all.


End file.
